Thursday, March 28, 2024

Matt Green – From England to the USA, via Belgium

-

HomeInterviewsMatt Green - From England to the USA, via Belgium

Matt Green’s is a typical story, a young Englishman who gets into cycling, trudges the well trodden path to the Flatlands of Flanders, gets a contract on low budget teams – Cyclingnews, Cinelli, Marco Polo – and then…

The progression stalls; but rather than bang his head against the combines in Flanders for another year, he’s decided that there’s a New World of cycling for him – across the pond in the USA.

He’s secured a private sponsor to pay his wages and all he needs now is a team – here’s his tale:

Matt Green
Matt Green. Photo©supplied

Why cycling, Matt?

“I started swimming when I was six then moved to triathlon when I was eight and quickly progressed – but fell in love with the mystery of bike racing.”

Why Belgium?

“My first season was there; I went over late, in April and did two weeks.

“Then I did the Ras Tour of Ireland followed by another two weeks in Belgium.

“Unfortunately I sustained a big injury, and had to spend the rest of the season back in England, recovering.

“It was a blessing in disguise – for that first season just out of the juniors, I was far too underdeveloped for the stress of kermis racing.

“Doing the Ràs that year though showed me I might have something in me for the future.”

How have you managed to get private sponsors?

“By putting myself out there – I tweet, and from my little following I have managed to secure a sponsor who provides me with the means to train in the modern fashion – on power.

“I also make sure to give a good image out training.

“The sponsor I have secured to pay my wage was impressed with how I trained as a triathlete all those years ago.

“And going well on the bike in races also helps!

“From doing all these little things, I have managed to obtain a real advantage money and equipment wise.

“When I get nervous approaching these companies I always remind myself of the mantra; “if you don’t ask, you don’t get”.”

Tell us about your palmarès…

“Consistent top 10’s throughout the years – 9th and best young rider jersey stage 1 Tour of Serbia; 3rd on 3rd stage of 4 Jours de Aix en Provence, a few podium places from day long breaks…

“My solo win in La Chapelle Dez Fougterez in France gave me a pro contract in Belgium in 2008.”

You were a Kingsnorth Wheelers man – the Anglo/Belgian team – what was that like?

“It wasn’t a good experience for me. As I said earlier I was too underdeveloped in my first year out of juniors to deal with Belgian racing.

“Their famous farmhouse accommodation wasn’t exactly five stars and I was definitely out of my depth.

“It did introduce me to Gent properly though; it’s my favourite city in the world.”

But you sustained an injury?

“Yeah – embarrassingly something happened so that I couldn’t sit down in the saddle!

“I saw consultants, physios, had scans and they couldn’t tell me what was wrong.

“Eventually I started doing 30 minutes a day out of the saddle and I recovered – I was worried with that one for a while!”

Matt Green
VDB’s signature on Matt’s team jersey. Photo©supplied

You rode for Cinelli with the late Frank Vandenbroucke and Nico Mattan – what was that like?

“I got VDB’s last ever signature, It was on a race jersey. He was on his way to the airport for that trip to Africa, where he lost his life.

“The day before, my team mate Tommy Nankervis and I were in the 10 man winning move in the last pro kermis of the season at Zele.

“I led Tommy out and he won with me ninth, Tommy beat top pro’s Greg Van Avermaet and Nic Nuyens.

“Frank was in the team car that day with Nico; to have guys who have won classics screaming down the radio at you to win a pro bike race in Belgium was unbelievable.

“For them to be impressed with what I was doing and give me a hug and say “bedankt!” was brilliant.

“I cried in the showers afterwards – I never felt euphoria like that before.”

Marco Polo – what’s that like, what assistance do you get?

“We get great support at the races we go to.

“Stage race commitments were cancelled due to lack of sponsors – but the management did a brilliant job giving us everything we needed, on a limited budget at one day events.

“I made some great friends there.”

Matt Green
Matt enjoyed his time with Marco Polo. Photo©supplied

The team house is in Limburg – maybe not the best place to be based?

“You do have to travel a long way to a lot of races.

“But training wise there isn’t any better training to be had in the North of Europe – I’m convinced of that.”

You’ve said that you prefer to commute to Belgium – aren’t you best to immerse yourself?

“I have lived in the heart of the Flemish Ardennes for two years; my Girlfriend is from Gent.

“Sometimes it’s a bit overwhelming being surrounded by this centre of the illustrious history of our sport- especially if you’re not exactly where you want to be in life.”

You say you’ve hit a ‘brick wall’ as far as progress in the sport – can you explain?

“I feel I’m a real asset when it comes to riding as part of a team – achieving results for the team.

“I have learned over the last few seasons that Belgium rewards selfish riding.

“I sometimes find it hard to get into that mindset. I don’t feel that my results, especially as an amateur, reflect my ability level.”

What are the worst days like in Belgium – weather, race-wise, mentally?

“Belgium is really grey some days; the houses, the roads, even the fields – sometimes you forget what it feels like to wear shorts!

“The worst race conditions were my very first pro race there; 190km and two degrees with snow – and an 18% climb covered 10 times or more!”

Are drugs still a problem at the kermis level?

“Drugs are still a problem at every level of sport – just as tax evasion is a problem in every level of business.

“If there is an easier way to become something you want to be, I can see that – but don’t understand why people cheat themselves, or society?

Why the USA?

“My Ex-teammate Tommy Nankervis has been trying to get me there for years.

“I am definitely a strong all rounder and Tommy assures me the USA rewards that style of bike rider, and I’d trust Tommy with my life.

“It’s time to think outside the European box to continue my career as a pro.”

Isn’t the scene criterium dominated in the US?

“The criterium scene is dominated by criteriums in the USA!

“It wouldn’t be a bad thing for me if every race in the US was a crit – Belgian Pro Kermis racing is a 180km crit, and I have that skills base – and strong elbows!

“But seriously, the NRC has a plethora of stage races that can cater for every level of ability a bike rider can offer.

“Levi Leipheimer won the final stage of the Tour of Utah this year; which finished at the top of an enormous mountain – that’s a long way from a crib!”

Aren’t there work permit hassles?

“I wouldn’t be getting paid in the U.S.

“As far as immigration there is concerned, I’d be going for an extended holiday with a bike of bike riding – I think!”

Matt Green
Matt looked up to the Belgian Six Day riders – and their hairstyles. Photo©supplied

Go back five years – what would you do differently?

“I had a highlighted blonde mullet five years ago.

“Unfortunately looking back at those pictures what I actually looked like a tad foolish and was far from what I wanted to look like – Iljo Keisse!

“I was fanatical about the Six Day circuit, and made a bad hairstyle choice!”

Ed Hood
Ed Hood
Ed's been involved in cycling for over 50 years. In that time he's been a successful time triallist, a team manager and a sponsor of several teams and clubs. He's also a respected and successful coach and during the winter months was often working in the cabins at the Six Days for some of the world's top riders. Ed remains a massive fan of the sport and couples his extensive contacts with an inexhaustible enthusiasm for the minutiae and the history of our sport. In February 2023 however, our dear friend and beloved colleague Ed suffered a devastating stroke and faces an uncertain future; Ed has lost his ability to speak, to read, and has lost movement on the right side of his body. He's working with speech and physical therapists on rehabilitation, but all strokes are different and each patient responds differently, so unfortunately recovery is one day at a time. Ed ran his own business installing windows, and will probably not be able to work again. Please consider joining us to make a contribution to Ed's GoFundMe page to help stabilise and secure his future.

Related Articles

Graeme Gilmore – Part of ‘the Blue Train’ in the Golden Era of Six Days

The Six Days of Amsterdam kicks off next week, the first race of the 2014/15 winter season. The programme until Christmas makes sad reading with few ‘names’ in Amsterdam; tales of crooked promoters souring things there and in Rotterdam; possibly the last race in Grenoble - and it's down to just three day; Zürich only four days and only Gent going from strength to strength.

Toby Perry – a Series of Unfortunate Events (with a happy ending)

It was back at the start of last year we last spoke to Englishman, Toby Perry and when we saw he’d ridden the inaugural Gravel Worlds – an aspect of the sport which has piqued our interest – we thought we’d best have another word with the man.

Ryan Perry – the New British 25 Mile TT Champion 2015

The British ‘25’ is still THE race to win - Sheil, Bonner, Engers, Lloyd, Doyle, Webster, Boardman ... Any rider would be honoured to add their name to that list. This year we’d all been expecting Matt Bottrill to add to his already impressive palmarès. But it was one of VeloVeritas' amigo, Dan Fleeman’s charges at Dig Deep Coaching who upset the form book: Ryan Perry (Langdale Lightweights RT) who’s 48:04 was 20 seconds too quick for Britain’s fastest postie.

Meet “Velo Club Don Logan” – the Ill-Informed Podcasters

The three guys behind the blog and podcasting site "Velo Club Don Logan" may be 'foul-mouthed and ill-informed' (their words), but they're also nice lads and very entertaining too. After listening to the fantastic podcast of their interview with Graeme Obree - in which Graeme talks openly about previously unexplored aspects of his life and career - we had to find out more about this site and the men behind it, and we caught up with them recently to get a bit of background and to hear their plans... okay, there aren't any plans...

At Random

Kyle Gordon – 2nd in the Nations Cup in Saint Petersburg

With few Scottish events to choose from, Kyle Gordon decided he should take things into his own hands and travel a bit to get a race – but maybe he took things a bit too far? Saint Petersburg, formerly ‘Leningrad,’ Russia on the Baltic Sea’s Gulf of Finland…

Giro d’Italia – Day 6: Stage 17, Sondrio – Locarno

The girl in the petrol station where we just filled up was stunningly beautiful - I sent Dave back in to buy Coke, so he could see her; why don't they have girls like her in the filling station at Wester Hailes? The Gazzetta is on my lap as we head for 'partenza' in Sondrio. Even though you can't speak Italian, you can get the jist of most of what's being said; "Sorpresa Van Den Broeck, delusione Savoldelli."

Le Tour de France 2014 – Stage 7; Épernay – Nancy, 233 km. Matteo Trentin – Just!

QuickStep, you have to respect them.
 
They lost Cav but they've been contesting the sprints as if he was still here, with Renshaw grabbing places of honour.
 
And today again Kwiatkowski was there in the finale - yesterday he tried a 'long one' for himself, today he set it up beautifully for Matteo Trentin.
 
 Patrick Lefevre has seen it all; a good pro himself, he won Kuurne-Brussels-Kuurne in his day, he manages to run a glossy, modern team which at the same time doesn’t forget that the sport belongs to the people.

The Lake APR: Preview

The Lake APR (Australian Pursuit Race) is a classic early season event on the Scottish road race calendar and is promoted by Glasgow Nightingale Cycling Club. The event kicks off at 10.30am on the A811 just east of Buchlyvie and the course runs anti-clockwise twice round the Lake of Menteith finishing on the A875 after an uphill final stretch north through Balfron.